Printing machine



Marcli 27. 1934. E. c. HARTLEY PRINTING MACHINE Filed Dec. 28, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet. l

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Patented Mar. 27, 1934 r PRINTING MACHINE Emmett C. Hartley, Cleveland, Ohio, assignmto Addressograph Company, Wilmington, DeL, a corporation of Delaware Application December 28, 1931, Serial No. 583,535

16 Claims.

This is a continuation in part of my application Serial No. 459,599, filed June 6, 1930.

This invention relates to printing machines'and more particularly to a printing couple especially adapted for use in printing an unchanging form such as appears on utility bills, insurance notices and the like. The invention is shown in connection with a printing couple adapted for making impressions at spaced intervals on a web and is particularly useful in a machine of the kind disclosed in the application of which thisapplication is a continuation in part. In a machine of that kind, a web is withdrawn from a roll and passed through a printing couple and impressions are made thereon at spaced intervals after which the web is severed intermediate the impressions to provide sheets. These sheets are passed through a printing machine and impressions such as addresses or the like are made thereon at spaced intervals on the face of the sheets opposite that on which the impressions were made by the printing couple. The sheets are then passed to another printing couple wherein an impression is made on the same face thereof as that on which the addresses were printed. The sheets are longitudinally passed through this last printing couple and consequently there is but a narrow printing surface. However, the printing couple which makes impressions on the web prior to its division into sheets is relatively wide and one of the objects of my invention is to provide a novel printing couple wherein a relatively wide impression may be made and to so arrange this printing couple that a uniform impression will be .made

therein.

An object of the invention, ancillary to the foregoing, is to provide a novel printing couple embodying a form roller and an impression roller and to so construct the impression 'roller that the portion thereof bearing the impression surface may be removed easily.

A further object of the invention is to provide a printing couple having an impression roller including an impression blanket which may be easily secured in operating position and which,

may be easily detached so as to facilitate the arranging of a make-ready therebelow.

Other and further objects are to provide a novel printing couple of simple and economical 5 construction and emcient and positive operation.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially on the line 3-3 on Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of one part of the impression roller;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary detail perspective view of the clamping devices for the impression blanket;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 6-6 on Fig. 3; and

Fig. 7 is an end elevation of the impression roller. I g

In the device illustrated in the accompanying drawings, the web W is withdrawn fmm a roll (not shown) and is passed about a guide roller 7, through a printing couple, under a looper roller 8, between a pair of feed rollers 9 and to a cevering device 10 wherein the web is divided into sheets S, the severing device dividing the web intermediate the impressions made thereon by the printing couple. The sheets S are deposited 7 upon feed tapes T when they are severed from the web and these feed tapes T carry the sheets through a printing machine of the kind, for example, disclosed in my co-pending application Serial No. 404,123, filed Novembef 1, 1929. The 30 impressions made on the sheets in this printing machine are made on the face of the sheets opposite the impressions made thereon in the printing couple making impressions on the web. After the sheets have been printed in the printing machine, they are passed into another printing couple wherein impressions are made on the same face thereof as that on which the impressions were made by the printing machine, a printing couple of this kind being disclosed in the application of Curtis George Kranz, Serial No. 404,092, filed November 1, 1929. And while I have shown my invention in association with an arrangement of this kind, it is to be understood that this is not the only way in which my invention may be used for it is susceptible of In the selected embodiment of my invention.

' illustrated in the accompanying drawings Fig.' 1 is a plan view of a web printing arrangement embodying my novel printing couple;

55 Fig. 2 is a side elevation;

variation or modification so that it may be adapted to any desired usage.

My invention is shown with a printing couple embodying a shaft 11 joumaled in bearings 12 and 13 in the frame 14 and keyed to the shaft 11 outwardly of the bearing 13 is a spur gear 15. In the frame 14 above the bearings 12 and 13 are recesses 16 and 1'7 in which the bearing blocks 18 and 19 are slidably mounted. A shaft 20 is journaled in the bearing blocks 18 and 19 and a spur gear'21 is fast thereon outwardly of the bearing block 19 and the spur gear 21 meshes with the spur gear 15. In the recesses 16 and 17 are springs 22 and 23 which act on the bearing blocks to force the same upwardly into abutment with the screws 24 and 25 which are held in a determined position by the lock nuts 26 and 27. The printing couple includes an impression roller generally indicated by 28 and a form roller generally indicated by 29, the impression roller 28 being fast on the shaft 11 and the form roller 29 being fast on the shaft 20. At one end of the form roller 29 there is a peripheral shoulder 30 including a tapered edge 31. The electroplate E has at one end thereof a tapered edge which fits under the tapered edge 31 and at the opposite end of the electroplate there is another tapered edge which is engaged by tapered edges on the clamp plates 32 secured at spaced intervals along this edge of the electroplate to the form roller by screws 33. When the screws 33 are loosened the clamp plates 32 may be withdrawn from engagement with the edge of the electroplate and then the electroplate may be moved axially to be disengaged from the shoulder 31 whereupon the electroplate may be removed. The electroplate E covers but a portion of the periphery of the roller 29 and the remaining portion of said roller is cut away as indicated at 34 to provide a relieved portion. The impression roller 28 is made in two parts, one of which is an elongated block 35 secured to the shaft 11 and including an undercut portion 36 and opposite this undercut portion there is a substantially rectangular portion 37. A substantially V-shaped strip 38 includes a flat bight portion which rests on the face of said portion 3'7. Screws 39 are passed through clearance openings in the bight of the strip 38 and are fast on the portion 37 and springs 40 are disposed about the screws 39 between the heads thereof and the bight of the strip 38 and serve to clamp said strip in engagement with the portion 3'7. The other part 41 of the roller 28 is substantially semicircular in outline and has a recess 42 opening through the fiat face thereof. The opening is adapted to embrace the substantially rectangular portion 37. At the bottom of the recess 42 is a dovetail groove 43 and 'the part 41 is adapted to be axially slid onto the rectangular portion 37 so that the sides of the V-shaped strip 38 engage the sides of the groove 43 and therefore the springs 40 clamp the part 41 onto the part 35. This arrangement prevents radial displacement of the part 41 from the part 35 and to prevent axial displacement of the part 41, I provide a washer 44 that is held in position by the screw 45 and as the part 41 is slid onto the part 35 the end of the part 41 engages the washer which therefore acts as a stop. After the part 41 has been positioned, the washer 46 is positioned over the other end thereof and this washer is secured in position by the screw 47. The screws 45 and 47 are extended into the rectangular portion 37, adjacent a corner thereof, and inasmuch as the part 35 is fixedly mounted on the shaft 11, it is manifest that the part 41 will be firmly retained in position. When it is desired to remove the part 41, as when a new make-ready is to be positioned, the screw 47 and the washer 46 are removed. Then by pulling the adjacent end of the part 41 outwardly, it may he slid along the strip 38, as indicated in broken lines in Fig. 3, until the part 41 is entirely disengaged from the strip 38. As is well understood in the printing art, it is customary to provide a make-ready below the impression blanket of a printing couple to care for any unevenness in the blanket or printing form. The installation of such a makeready is facilitated by the manner in which the impression blanket is retained in position in my device. It has been stated that the part 41 is of semi-circular shape and the recess in the fiat face thereof provides shoulders 48 and 49. One marginal edge of the blanket B is folded over the shoulder 48 and a strip 50 is disposed thereabove. Screws 51 are passed through the strip 50 and blanket B into the shoulder 48 to thereby firmly connect this edge of the blanket in position. The blanket is then directed over the impression surface of the part 41 with the make-ready interposed between the impression surface and the blanket. Projecting outwardly from the shoulder 49 at opposite ends thereof are lugs 52. A spindle 53 extends above the shoulder 49 and has reduced bearing portions such as 54 at opposite ends thereof which are rotatively journaled in bearings in the lugs 52. The marginal edge of the blanket opposite that clamped by the strip 50 is clamped in an axially extending slot 55. in the spindle 53 and by rotating the spindle the blanket may be wound thereon. Adjacent one of the lugs 52 is a recess 56 and the bearing portion 54 above this recess 56 is elongated whereby a clamp lock 57 may be fitted thereabout, said clamp lock including a split end which may be drawn together by the screw 58 to thereby tightly clamp the lock 57 on the bearing portion 54. After a make-ready has been disposed on the impression surface and the blanket has been directed thereover, the spindle 53 is turned until the blanket is taut whereupon the screw 58 is tightened to secure the clamp lock 57 to the bearing portion 54. The clamp lock 5'7 is seated in the recess 56 and therefore when the block is clamped onto the bearing portion 54 an end of the block engages the bottom of the recess 56 and prevents turning of the spindle whereby the blanket is maintained in taut condition.

A shaft 59 is journaled in the frame 14 and one end thereof may be operatively connected with the printing machine with which the printing couple is associated or it may be connected to any suitable source of power such as, for example, an electric motor. On the end of the shaft 59 opposite that connected to the source of power is a gear 60 meshing with a gear 61 rotatable on the shaft 62 which is journaled in the frame 14. Also rotatable on the shaft 62 and connected to the gear 61 is a gear 63 which meshes with a gear 64 fast on the shaft 20 at the end thereof opposite the end carrying the gear 21. Therefore, when the shaft 53 is rotated, the movement will be transmitted to the shaft 20 and this movement will be transmitted by the gear 21 to the gear 15 whereby the shaft'll will also be rotated and the gears 21 and 15 have a one to one ratio so that the shafts 20 and 11 will operate synchronically. The diameters of the unrelieved portions of the rolls 28 and'29 are equal and the unrelieved portions of these rolls are so positioned relative to each other that the leading edge of the electroplate and the leading edge of the blanket simultaneously engage the web during rotation of the rollers and therefore.

an impression is made by the electroplate onto the web which is passing through the machine in the manner described in my referred to application Serial No. 459,599, filed June 6, 1930. Ink is applied to the electroplate E by a suitable inking device such as, for example, the kinddisclosed in my co-pending application Serial No. 583,534, filed December 28, 1931.

When it is desired to change the electroplate the screws 33 are loosened and the plates 32 are removed whereupon one electroplate may be removed and another substituted therefor. Such a change in electroplates may necessitate a change in the make-ready and this is ascertained by taking an impression. If certain portions of the impression are heavier than other portions, a make-ready will be installed to buildup .the light portions and this make-ready may be easily installed by merely removing the part 41 in the manner described whereupon the screw 58'will be loosened to permit retraction of the blanket so that a make-ready may be installed in position. The impression pressure is regulated by the positioning of the screws 24 and 25 and after these screws have been properlypositioned the lock nuts 26. and 27 are tightened to hold the screws against movement.

In the foregoingdescrlption I have set forth a selected embodiment of my invention in as-- sociation with a particular form of printing.

couple but it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the use set forth and further it is capable of variation and modification and I therefore do not wish to be limited to the precise details set forth but desire to avail myself of such changes and modifications as fall within the purview of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A printing couple embodying a form roller and an'impression roller, means removably retaining a printing form on said form roller, a blanket on said impression roller, a part on said impression roller providing a support for said blanket, yieldable means slidably connecting said part'on the impression roller and permitting axial removal of said part, and releasable means for retaining said blanket in position on said part whereby said blanket may be released to permit the installation of a make-ready therebelow upon at least partial removal of said partfrom said impression roller.

2. A printing couple embodying a form roller and an impression roller, means removably retaining a printing form on said .form roller, a

removable part on said impression rollerhaving an impression blanket thereon, yieldable means slidably connecting said removable part on said impression roller, and'm'eans'for preventing sliding movement oi said removable part on said roller.

3. A printing couple embodying a form roller and an impression roller, means removably retaining a printing form on said form roller, a fixed part on said impression roller, aremovable part on said impression roller and having an impression blanket thereon, yieldable clamping means on .said fixed part, said removable part having an axial slot therein engageable with said clamping means to secure said removable part on said fixed part, and means for releasably retaining said impression blanket on said removable part whereby said impressionblanket may be released to permit the installation of a make-ready therebelow.

4. A printing couple embodying a printing form and an impression roller, means removably retaining the printing form on said form roller, 9. fixed part on said impression roller, a removable part on said impression roller and -having an impression blanket thereon, yieldable clamping means on said fixed part, said removable part having an axial slot therein engageable with said clamping means to secure said removable'part on said-fixedpart, means for releasably retaining said impression blanket on said removable part whereby said impression blanket may be released to permit installation of a make-ready therebelow, and means on said fixed part for preventing axial movement ofsaid removable part relative to said fixed part.

5. An impression roller for a printing couple and embodying a fixed part and a removable part, a clamp strip yieldably mounted on said fixed part, and said removable part having a recess therein adapted to engage said clamp strip when'said removable part is slid onto said fixed Part.

6. An impression roller for a printing couple and embodying a fixed part and a removable part, a clamp strip yieldably mounted on said fixed part, said removable part having a recess therein adapted to engage said clamp strip when said removable part is slid onto-said flxedpart, and means limiting the sliding movement of said removable part relative to said fixed part to thereby prevent displacement of said removable part .from said fixed part.

7. An impression roller for a printing couple and embodying a fixed part and a removable part, yieldable means on said fixed part and adapted for connection with a cooperating portion on the removable part to slidably interconnect said removable part with said fixed part,-

and independent means for preventing relative sliding'movement between said fixed and removable parts.

'8. An impression roller for a printing couple including a fixed part and a removable part. means clamping said removable part on said fixed part, releasable means for preventing displacement of said removable part from said fixed part, an impression blanket on said removable part, and means for tightening said impression blanket into taut condition and for holding said blanket in said taut condition.

9,. An ipression roller for a printing couple ineluding a fixed .part and a removable part, means clamping said removable part on said fixed part,

releasable means for preventing displacement of said-removable part from said fixed part, an impr'ession blanket on said. removable part, means firmly attaching one end of said impression,

blanket to said removable part; means carried bysaid removable part on which said impression blanket may be woundwhereby said impression blanket may be drawn into taut condition, and

means for preventing unwinding of said impression blanket whereby it may be retained in sai taut condition. H

10. A mounting for an impression blanket and including a member having one edge of said blanket secured thereto, means on which the opposite edge of said blanket may be wound, and clamping means for preventing retroactive movement of said last-named means when said blanket is stretched taut with a portion thereof wound on said means.

11. A mounting for an impression blanket and including a member having one edge of said blanket firmly attached thereto, a spindle having the opposite edge of the blanket connected thereto, means on said member supporting said spindle for rotary movement whereby said blanket may be wound thereon to be stretched taut over said member, and clamping means for holding said spindle against movement to prevent unwinding of said blanket from said spindle.

including a member having one edge or said blanket secured thereto, a spindle having the opposite edge of said blanket secured thereto, means supporting said spindle for rotary movement whereby said blanket may be wound thereon to be stretched taut over said member, a clamp block, and means for tightly clamping said clamp block on said spindle whereby when said clamp block engages said member said spindle will be held against movement to prevent unwinding of said blanket.

13. A mounting for an impression blanket and including a member having one edge of said blanket secured thereto, a spindle having the opposite edge of said blanket secured thereto, means supporting said spindle for rotary movement whereby said blanket may be wound thereonto be stretched taut over said member, a clamp block, said member having a recess therein, and means for tightly clamping said clamp block on said spindle whereby when said clamp block is seated in said recess and engages a side thereof said spindle will .be held against movement to prevent unwinding of said blanket.

14. In a printing couple, a form roller and an impression roller cooperating with said form roller and embodying a fixed part and a removable part in which a make-ready may be arranged, means clamping said removable part on said fixed part and permitting expeditious removal of the removable part from the fixed part, and retaining means on the fixed part and movable out of retaining position to permit removal of the removable part for installation of a make-ready and movable into retaining position to secure said removable part on said fixed part after a make-ready has been arranged therein.

12. A mounting ior an impression blanket and 15. In a printing couple, a form roller and an impression roller cooperating with said form roller and embodying a fixed part and a removable part, a clamp member on said fixed part, said removable part including a portion cooperating with said clamp member and clamping the removable part on the fixed part and permitting expeditious removal of the removable part from the fixed part, and retaining means on the fixed part and movable out of retaining position to permit removal of the removable part for installation of amake- -ready and movable into retaining position to secure said removable part on said fixed part after a make-ready has been arranged therein.

16. In a printing couple, a form roller, an impression roller cooperating with said form roller. means for adjusting said rollers relatively to vary the pressure therebetween, said impression roller embodying a fixed part and a removable part, an impression blanket on said removable part, means firmly attaching one end of said impression blanket to said removable part, means carried by said removable part and adapted to cooperate with said blanket whereby said blanket may be tightened to provide an impression surface or may be loosened to permit installation of a make-ready, means securing said removable part on said fixed part and permitting expeditious removal of the removable part from the fixed part, and retaining means on the fixed part and movable out of retaining position to permit removal of the removable part for installation of a make-ready and movable into retaining posi tion to secure said removable part on said fixed part after a make-ready has been arranged therein.

ENHWETI C. HARTLEY. 

